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Dual boot video problems

Hey guys, I've been having a problem for a while, but usually I don't think to ask for help with an issue unless it actually becomes either really annoying or is something I just can't get around. In this case it's really mostly a matter of being too lazy to look for a fix because its not really that big of an issue. Anyways, I'm rambling before I even start on topic
My issue is with a laptop with a dual boot of Windows 7 and Ubuntu. Every time I boot into Ubuntu, then reboot into windows, the resolution is that default low resolution in which you can't really do anything productive. It's almost like linux changed settings in some rom on the video card or mobo or something because its not like linux is writing to anywhere on the ntfs partition afaik. When this happens I usually just reboot, because when I log in it doesn't recognize any higher resolutions as options. I think the mouse pad may not work as well in this situation, but I can't remember, as I usually just reboot. Its a pretty strange problem, but not really much more than an annoyance, as I usually have been sticking to windows 7 on my laptop because of most engineering software and whatnot.

I used to have this problem a LONG time ago with other Operating Systems. I Honestly don't even remember how the hell I fixed it, but I think you can check the video settings on both Operating Systems, and make sure everything is right, and most likely you'll find out that one of them is using a different resolution than the other, causing this

As a last resort you could force the resolution using the .inf file for the monitor...

Win7 is a bit buggy, as a result of trying to be more secure. Depending on the programs you have installed, and the compatibility mode it's settings are under could cause this. Tediously, you could right click every program you have, check it's settings and resolution, prolly find the problem there, good luck.

If you have set your screen resolution to that, I am surprised that you can see anything other than all black with some kind of "unsupported" message

16:9 is the aspect ratio for HD widescreen and 15:9 for the old widescreen.

Your resolution should be set to 1366x768 @ 60Hz. That is the HP factory default, and the highest your kit will support. You won't be able to change the refresh rate IIRC.

If you cold boot into Windows, does the resolution come up OK? It should do, as Windows shouldn't even know that Linux is there. The only way I can see Linux passing settings to Windows is through the boot manager???

As a last resort you could force the resolution using the .inf file for the monitor...

That works for desktops, but this is an HP laptop, so it should "know" what sort of monitor it has, and have the correct .inf file out of the box also, I don't think you can "force" a resolution on an HP laptop like you can with video cards............you get what HP allows, because they don't want the customer support calls

However, it is worth looking into, as Windows may well have become confused by you loading Linux (which HP did not intend and doubtless won't support). Your ATI or nVidia manager should see the correct kit............but does Windows?.............if it doesn't, Windows usually plays safe and uses the lowest settings, which might explain what is happening

I haven't come across this in Windows 7 yet, but in Vista it happens when you load the wrong drivers.

You get a really crappy screen and then a windows message saying that the resolution is not optimal would you like to change it? ...........................DON'T...........unless you like black screens

Boot into safe mode and kill the driver/management software, uninstall the video card in device manager, then reboot..........Vista will "find" the new hardware and will even go and get you a driver that will work, if you haven't done that yourself (if you only have one machine you would find that a bit annoying in the failsafe screen settings).

This looks a bit like that, in that Linux is somehow passing the wrong settings to Windows. Linux may look at the settings and adapt them to the hardware, whilst Windows does not? dunno, as I don't dual boot Linux & Windows.

I would say that Linux is not passing the settings being used to Windows or the Linux display would be just as crappy. It must be sending something that Windows doesn't understand, which is why it goes to this failsafe mode.

On my HP lappy you can set from 1366x768 down to 800x600 using their slider screen for resolution settings.

When I look at the more traditional ATI screen (advanced settings from the slider screen) I can set 640x480, which I think is the failsafe default, as opposed to "safe mode", which I would guess to be 800x600.

It might be an idea to check the HP website to see if there are any newer video drivers & management software. Failing that, you might check out the chipset manufacturer's website, but be careful..........OEM's have a habit of customising their installations.

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